The Changing Landscape of University Applications
I logged onto the final meeting of the GTA CAIS counsellors a minute or two late. The first thing I heard was a sharp, collective intake of breath. The first thing I saw was my Zoom screen filled with faces best described as that emoji with all of the straight lines for features. I quickly gathered that the opening question had been, “So folks, how are this year’s university offers coming along?”
Simply put, it is a challenging year. My University Counselling colleagues and I saw more students waitlisted, deferred, and denied than in previous years. Although Crescent has had some terrific results and our Grads received meaningful offers; it has been tough.
Why has the university application landscape changed? Here are a few reasons:
Why has the university application landscape changed? Here are a few reasons:
The number of applicants to American colleges has increased dramatically. Consider these statistics reported in Forbes Magazine: The Common Application, an application site used by most U.S. colleges, received over six million applications, up 11% from the previous year. The number of international applicants increased by 10%; Canada’s specific growth was 22%. The main reason for this increase is the move by most colleges to a test-optional policy. The time spent preparing and then writing the ACT or SAT has always been a reason for pause and consideration. Additionally, published acceptance ranges for these scores have similarly limited applications. With this roadblock removed, more students opted to give the U.S. and more selective colleges a try. College admissions representatives in the U.S. confirm that they saw a more diverse range of students applying along with greater numbers. This made the selection process a great deal more rigorous.
But what made this year so daunting in Canada, where there are no standardized tests? I asked a number of contacts at universities across the country if application numbers were in fact up, and if so, why. Their response? A unanimous “yes”. Anthony Dodds from the University of British Columbia offered this explanation: “I believe a big reason for the increase in applications, especially from Ontario, is because COVID has deterred top students from heading to international universities (particularly in the U.S.). These top students instead turned their focus to the top domestic universities. Also, applications always increase during poor economic times. As people can’t find meaningful work in the present, they then focus on education and prepare for the future.” At Crescent, our experience was that while students still applied to many American colleges, they also applied to highly selective programs in Canada.
To coin an overused pandemic phrase, this is our new normal. As we move forward, we will continue our job as University Counsellors: educating our students and their families about the many excellent programs available through a diverse range of post-secondary institutions, and supporting them as they prepare their applications to the programs that are the best fit for their interests.
Learn about Crescent's Guidance & University Counselling services
Learn about Crescent's Guidance & University Counselling services
